Definition of "sell" in English

verb

1. (transitive, ditransitive, intransitive) To transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.

   • She sold her old car very quickly.
   • I'll sell you three books for a hundred dollars.
   • Sorry, I'm not prepared to sell.

2. (ergative) To be sold.

   • This old stock will never sell.
   • The corn sold for a good price.

3. (transitive) To promote (a product or service) although not being paid in any direct way or at all.

4. (transitive) To promote (a particular viewpoint).

   • My boss is very old-fashioned and I'm having a lot of trouble selling the idea of working at home occasionally.

5. (transitive) To betray for money or other things.

6. (transitive, slang) To trick, cheat, or manipulate someone.

7. (transitive, professional wrestling, slang) To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.

8. (Australia, slang, intransitive) To throw under the bus; to let down one's own team in an endeavour, especially in a sport or a game.

   • He's selling!
   • He really sold in that match.

noun

1. An act of selling; sale.

2. (figurative, by extension) The promotion of an idea for acceptance.

   • This is going to be a tough sell.

3. An easy task.

4. (colloquial, dated) An imposition, a cheat; a hoax; a disappointment; anything occasioning a loss of pride or dignity.

   • What a sell for Lena!

noun

1. (obsolete) A seat or stool.

2. (archaic) A saddle.

noun

1. (regional, obsolete) A rope (usually for tying up cattle, but can also mean any sort of rope).

   • He picked up the sell from the straw-strewn barn-floor, snelly sneaked up behind her and sleekly slung it around her swire while scryingː "dee, dee ye fooking quhoreǃ".